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INTERPOL wins global award for ‘exceptional’ work in combating illicit trade and counterfeiting

INTERPOL honour announced on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day

LYON, France – The Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG) has named INTERPOL the 2013 winner of its International Public Body award for its ‘exceptional’ work towards combating the trafficking in illicit goods and counterfeiting.

Announced on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day, the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Awards are made as a continuing recognition of special achievements by individuals, companies and organizations.

“This award acknowledges not just INTERPOL’s efforts, but also those of the law enforcement officers in each of our 190 member countries, and our partners in the public and private sectors,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

“Counterfeiting is a serious global problem with links to other crimes such as human trafficking and drug smuggling. With growing evidence of terrorism also being funded through illicit trade, INTERPOL is well placed to coordinate worldwide efforts to break these ties.

“The award from the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group is recognition of INTERPOL’s work so far, and will spur on our ongoing efforts with all partners in the coming years,” added the INTERPOL Chief.

John Anderson, Chairman of the GACG network of national and regional anti-counterfeiting organizations said: “The awards this year again highlight the wide range of cooperation that is needed – and provided – by different individuals and organizations, across the public-private sector divide, in the campaign against the international trade in fakes.

“I am especially impressed with the emphases on both coordination between the public and private sectors and the importance of raising public awareness that was evident in many of the nominations,” added Mr Anderson.

Building on its established efforts against intellectual property crime, the launch of INTERPOL’s Trafficking in Illicit Goods and Counterfeiting programme in 2012 marked an increase in the organization’s efforts and resources to identify and dismantle the organized crime networks behind these crimes which pose a serious threat to public health and safety.

The key role of business in supporting the initiative was underlined with the decision by Phillip Morris International to pledge EUR 15 million over a three-year period to INTERPOL's Fund for a Safer World to help the world police body develop a strong global programme.

In the past year alone, INTERPOL-assisted police interventions and raids targeting counterfeit and sub-standard goods have resulted in seizures worth millions of euros across the globe and more than 1,700 arrests.

These global and national successes were supported by capacity building and training workshops benefiting, in 2012 alone, some 550 participants from police, customs and regulatory bodies, from 30 countries.

To further build on these successes in 2013, INTERPOL is holding capacity building activities across all regions which, combined with operational interventions, will deliver stronger member country participation and even greater results.